This invention relates a snowmobile and more particularly to an improved drive belt suspension arrangement for a snowmobile.
As is well known, snowmobiles and particularly the larger versions, have a relatively large drive belt that extends beneath the lower rearward most portion of the snowmobile for driving the snowmobile along the terrain over which it travels. Generally, these drive belts suspend the vehicle body relative to the drive belt for suspension movement. Generally, the drive belt rides over one or more guide rails and those guide rails are suspended relative to the vehicle body by a suspension system.
Often times the suspension system includes front and rear suspension units that support the front and rear ends of the guide rails for their movement. At times, the suspension units may be inter-linked together for simultaneous movement after a certain degree of travel.
This type of suspension system, although widely used, has some disadvantages. First, it is obviously necessary to provide an arrangement that limits the degree of maximum movement of the drive belt relative to the snowmobile body in each direction. Generally, a strap-type drop down arrangement is provided for limiting the amount that the drive belt may drop relative to the body. This type of motion frequently occurs when traveling over a hill or mogul and wherein the vehicle body may actually become airborne. Under this condition, there is relatively low loading and frequently straps are employed for controlling the maximum degree of drop down.
On the other hand, when encountering bumps more severe loading can occur. Generally, it is the practice to utilize some form of stopper arrangement in the suspension element so as to limit the degree of upward movement of the drive belt relative to the snowmobile body. This type of stop arrangement has a number of disadvantages. First, it places fairly large loading on the suspension elements and particularly on the piston rod of the shock absorber associated with the suspension element. This can cause damage. Furthermore, it is difficult to provide adjustment of the suspension element and maintain the desired stopper relationship.
It is, therefore, a principal object of this invention to provide an improved drive belt arrangement for a snowmobile and more particularly to a suspension system therefore.
It is a further object of this invention to provide an improved stop mechanism for limiting the degree of upward travel of the drive belt relative to the snowmobile body which operates independently of the cushioning elements of the suspension unit.
It is a further object of this invention to provide an improved and simplified stopper arrangement for controlling the movement of the drive belt relative to the snowmobile body.